Dog Trainer Threatened

[PeterWood]

I am an independent dog trainer in Houston with my own business. I am just starting out with the business and have been trying to build it.

I am currently rehabilitating a dog that is aggressive toward other dogs. Part of the rehabilitation process requires that the "patient" be walked. One day (early in the rehab), as I walked the dog (a black-mouth curr), he charged another dog that was being walked by my client's neighbor.
The neighbor was walking a brindle pit bull-type dog that was not aggressive. My client's dog got loose from my grip and charged the pit knocking him down with his chest.
I ran over and was successful in regaining control of the curr. However, the neighbor, a foreign woman, went crying back to her husband and made a scene.
As I tried to get the curr around the corner, the husband called to me and threatened to call the law on me declaring that I am supposed to have a license to train dogs.

After I returned to my client's home with the curr, I discovered that the husband had stalked me around the block and followed me to my client's home. He pulled up behind me in his car and got out and threatened my client and then myself again calling me names like "asshole" (which, I can tell by his action's, he cannot define).

My questions are these:

1.) The allegation is that my client's dog bit the pit bull. Anyone watching can tell that is not true. If he had called the law, would they have done anything?

2.) Would the fact that he followed me to my client's home do any damage to his claim?

3.) Would my client be in any legal "hot water" for continuing to employ me?

4.) Am I required by law to hold a dog training license in the state of Texas?

I have since employed methods to guarantee that the curr never again gets loose and his rehabilitation is going well. He is almost completely rehabilitated now.

 

[mightymoose]

1. You could be liable for any expenses incurred for treating the dog bite. It sounds as if they did not take the dog to the vet for any treatment, so don't worry about it. No police report anyway... there is nothing to be concerned with. Had the police been called you both would likely have bee referred to civil court.

2. No.

3. No.

4. I dunno about the license... I would suspect such a thing would be covered under local ordinances if anything. I think of it this way... would I have to get a license to teach the neighbor's kid to play the piano? No... However, if you have a large business doing this and any significant income.... then maybe.

 

[tpajet]

My take on #1 is also that if the dog yo had didn't bite their dog, then there is no injury (bite marks) so they would have a hard time with that one in court trying to claim an injury that doesn't exist.

At this point I would let it go. He's just trying to strong arm you. If he does approach you again, you might look into a restaining order. It might be a bit much, but at the same time, it would #1 send the message that you are not afraid of dealing wit this situation from a legal standpoint (which he's hoping you don't want to do) and #2 if he violates it, you have legal recourse. Look at it as a type of revenge if that were to happen.